Post by Roderick on Sept 5, 2009 10:37:03 GMT 12
Updated at 9:03am on 5 September 2009
NATO says many civilian casualties are being treated in hospitals after an air strike by the alliance blew up two fuel tankers in a pre-dawn attack on Friday.
The governor of the northern province of Kunduz says at least 90 people were killed. Civilians among them were collecting fuel.
The tankers had been hijacked by the Taliban. NATO aircraft spotted them on a river bank.
A US defence official said the strike was carried out by an American F-15 jet.
Germany's Defence Ministry said permission to fire had been granted by a German commander on the ground.
NATO initially said it believed the casualties were all Taliban fighters, but later acknowledged that large numbers of wounded civilians were being treated in hospitals in the area.
The strike took place near the border with Tajikistan, an area where Taliban attacks have become increasingly frequent.
The Taliban consider fuel shipments a strategic target because NATO forces depend on them.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand
NATO says many civilian casualties are being treated in hospitals after an air strike by the alliance blew up two fuel tankers in a pre-dawn attack on Friday.
The governor of the northern province of Kunduz says at least 90 people were killed. Civilians among them were collecting fuel.
The tankers had been hijacked by the Taliban. NATO aircraft spotted them on a river bank.
A US defence official said the strike was carried out by an American F-15 jet.
Germany's Defence Ministry said permission to fire had been granted by a German commander on the ground.
NATO initially said it believed the casualties were all Taliban fighters, but later acknowledged that large numbers of wounded civilians were being treated in hospitals in the area.
The strike took place near the border with Tajikistan, an area where Taliban attacks have become increasingly frequent.
The Taliban consider fuel shipments a strategic target because NATO forces depend on them.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand
